Screen for burial-caskets.



J. H. MILLS.

SCREEN FOR BURIAL GASKETS.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC.271 1906.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA WRAPH co.. wAsmNurpN. n. c.

V J. H. M| LLS. SCREEN FOR BURIAL CASKETS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.27. 1906. 1,175,005. I Patented Mar. 14,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

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m5 COLUMBIA PLANonRAPH 0., WASHINGTON. n. c.

UN I TED PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. MILLS, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO RICHMOND CASKET COMPANY, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH I-I. MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Screen for Burial-Caskets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to burial caskets and the object thereof is to provide a simple and efiicient shield or screen which is adapted to be applied or attached to the casket for use before and during the funeral for the purpose of not only concealing the exterior of the casket and its hardware as well as the support or supports (ordinarily termed the casket carriage or pedestal), but also to decorate the same elaborately and with a wide range of style and character of decoration.

()ne of the chief objects of the provision of this shield or screen is to enable a cheaper character or grade of casket to be employed with the same or even better effect and results than when burial caskets of the higher grades and with more expensive trimmings are used, thereby enabling those who cannot afford the high-priced caskets the same effects at a much less expense instead of being, in fact, compelled to buy a casket whose price is beyond their means.

It will be understood that the shield or 7 screen forms no part of the burial outfit, but is used by the undertaker to conceal caskets and the space below them as above explained and to provide surrounding decoration and adornment necessary to overcome the harshness of the usual conditions. Moreover, the shield or screen is provided with means for attachment and detachment whereby it may be used over and over again. As a result of the use of my screen, it is thus possible to employ a cheaper grade of burial casket and also to dispense with the necessity of carrying in stock the considerable number (now required) of different styles and grades of casket in different shades of color. Furthermore, my screen is so made and arranged that it may be applied or adjusted to any size of casket and may also be attached to and detached from the casket with great facility as is necessary under its peculiar conditions of use.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a casket with "my screen attached thereto; Fig. 2 a section on the line. of F ig.- 1; Fig. 3 a similar section but showing one of the sides let down to convert the casket into the couch form; Fig. 4 a perspective of one of the side sections of the screen when the latter is made in sections; Fig. 5 a perspective of one of the end Sections of the screen; and Fig. 6 a detail view on an enlarged scale of the upper edge or margin of the screen showing the hooks for attaching the screen to the casket.

My invention relates, as hereinbefore stated, to the provision of the screen structure hereinafter described for concealing the casket proper, as well as the supports or pedestal and also for providing a surrounding decoration. This screen is so made that it may be applied to different types of burial casket with the necessary changes or adjustments occasioned by the particular construction of the casket. In the present instance, I have shown my screen applied to three different types or classes of burial casket, as will be apparent from the description hereinafter given. However, I will first describe my invention as applied to a burial casket of the usual character and one having a removable lid or cover as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, my screen comprises in the present instance a fabric which is, by preference, made in four different sections, two similar side sections 1, and two similar end sections 2, the side sections being positioned along the opposite sides of the casket and suspended or draped therefrom and the end sections being similarly suspended or draped from the casket. This screen, however, might be made in one single or continuous piece, although in practice I have found that it is more convenient to make the fabric in sections as shown, besides which the range of use of any one screen is considerably increased by such division into sections.

It will be understood that the screen may be made of any suitable material or fabric and also that the same may be suitably figured. In practice an undertaker m'ay provide himself with several of these screens of different colors or shades of color or with different figure or pattern.

Describing the particular construction and arrangement of screen shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, Iprovi'de the upper edge of each of the sections with a hem, through which cords are passed, the side sections cords and the proper draping effect also thereby obtained. The upper margin of the fabric, together with the cords, is positicned on the inner side of the walls of the casket and slightly below the top edge thereof, with the result that the screen may thereby be held in place. However, I do not care to depend entirely upon this arrangement for thus holding the screen in place, but-prefer to provide means for positively holding the same against any possibility of displacement or derangement.

Dilferent means may be provided, but for the purpose of enabling the undertaker to quickly and readily attach and detach the screen, I provide the upper edge or margin of the screen with hooks such as; the hooks 5 illustrated in detail in Fig. 6. These hooks are arranged on the inner side of the upper edge or hem of the fabric so that they readily engage with the upholstering of the casket when the screen is in place and at the same time the hooks are concealed from view. By preference, for. the purpose of'securing a proper draping of the side sections, I provide on the inner side ofsuch side sections and intermediate their height a strip of elastic or webbing 6, suitably connected or attached to each side section and having means of attachment to the end portions of the casket as illustrated in Fig. '1. For this purpose, the ends of the webbing may be provided with eyes and the end portitns of the casket with pins or buttons 7.

My screen may also be applied to the couch type of burialcasket, as illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein one side 8 ofthe casket, which is hinged, is let down with the result that the end sections of the screen will conceal the ends of the casket as before, as well as the ends of the side wall 8. while the side section of the screen, which falls or drapes below the lower edge of the side wall 8 in its let-down position, will conceal the space therebelow, and will constitute the drapery and decoration thereat, all as clearly illustrated in Fig.17. When the. screen is employed on a casket of this particulartype it is only necessary for the side sections to drape the space below the lower edge of the side wall 8 when in its let-down position, but as the sections of the screen are standard and applicable to all types of caskets, I

prefer to use the sections as hereinbefore described and attach the same, particularly the side sectionbelongingto the hinged side wall 8 and to attach the'salne to the upholstery thereof, with the result that such side section will be in two folds or thicknesses as to the portion thereof concealed behind the cover one of the side sections may, if desired, be dispensed with. This side section would be the one adjacent the side wall to which the top or cover is hinged, inasmuch as this side of the casket is not exposed to view in the use of this particular type. My screen is obviously applicable as well-to the type having a hinged side but witha hinged'lid. v

I claim:

l. A screen for concealing the exterior of a burial casket and providing a decoration comprising separate sections or pieces of fabric arranged 'to 'be attached to and draped from the casket, a side section having astrip in itsinner side intermediate its height and arranged to be removablyattached at its ends to the casket.

2. A screen for concealing the'entireexterior of a burial casket as well as the usual supports therefor, such screencomprising separate sections of fabric, and separate cords on which the upper edgesthereof are gathered, said cords being adapted to be-positioned within the top edge of the casket to fold the fabric in place and the ends of the cords being draped for decorativeelfect.

A screen for concealing the entire exterior of a burial casket as well as the usual supports therefor for providing a. decoration comprising separate sections or pieces -of decorated fabric having hems on theirbe swung downwardly, a screen concealing the exterior of such casket comprising a V fabric whose portion adjacent the hinged side is attached thereto, and means for attaching the screen to the stationary ends of the casket.

Witnesses:

S. E. HIBBEN, 7 LOUIS B. ERWIN'.

JOSEPH H. MILLS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. .by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

i Washington, D. C. 

